Businesses in Southbank

13 Nov 2014

Having played a significant role in helping the local community grow for nearly three years now, the team at Ray White is passionate about Southbank.

From its prominent location on the corner of Clarendon St and City Rd, principal and director Andrew Salvo said Ray White Southbank had played a major part in the area’s development.

“We started this precinct,” he said. “We call it the Crown Precinct and the family was the first ones to put developments here so we’ve created our own community.”

As part of the Salvo family, which have developed many of the buildings in Southbank and continue to do so, Andrew said the group set out three years ago to start a management business with the intention to expand to the open market.

“We spoke to many different franchisees and Ray White seemed to have the biggest national presence and global reach,” he said.

“With Southbank being a new area, there aren’t many people tied to any brand because everyone is new to the area. They can recognise a brand and walk in and the strategy has worked for us.”

Beyond simply buying, renting and selling, Ray White Southbank continuously strives to deliver clients and investors the best service possible.

With high expertise in project marketing, Mr Salvo now heads up the banner of Ray White Projects Victoria, which takes on entirely new buildings on behalf of developers.

Marrying up to this service, Ray White Southbank’s sales team for the established market sells off the plan and provides comprehensive and ongoing management for all of its clients.

Having switched careers from engineering, sales team leader Michael Pastrikos said he thoroughly enjoyed building relationships and providing quality service to all of his clients.

“Before this I was 10 years in engineering and found myself to be very much a people person. Engineering, as much as I love the industry, wasn’t so much like that – drawings don’t talk back to you!” he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s an industry that is based on service and you have really got to provide it to people and show that you can stand out because otherwise you’re are just another name online.”

Mr Pastrikos said he enjoyed the unique aspect of working in Southbank as opposed to a normal real estate agent, as he said, “every building represents a different street.”

And as for the area, he said he and his colleagues could think of no better place to ply their trade than in Southbank.

“The best thing about Southbank is how versatile it is. There’s all the cafes, the restaurants all the entertainment on your door step as well,” he said.

“We’re right on the edge of South Melbourne, you know it’s got that old Melbourne culture to it and that’s not going to change for decades.”